Pregnancy, breastfeeding and fertility while taking risperidone

Risperidone and pregnancy

Risperidone can be taken during pregnancy, although there is little information on its safety. If there is an increased risk of birth defect, it is likely to be very small. The risk of you becoming unwell if you stop taking your medicine is potentially much greater.

For this reason, you will usually be advised to keep taking risperidone in pregnancy. Talk to your doctor about your treatment as soon as possible.

You will usually be offered an antenatal clinic appointment with a pregnancy specialist (obstetrician) and possibly a mental health doctor or nurse.

Do not stop taking your medicine unless your doctor tells you to.

Risperidone and breastfeeding

If your baby is healthy, you can take risperidone while breastfeeding, but talk to your doctor or pharmacist first.

Risperidone passes into breast milk in very small amounts and does not usually cause side effects in breastfed babies.

However, a few babies have had side effects when risperidone was taken with other medicines that can cause drowsiness, while breastfeeding.

It's important to continue your treatment to keep you well. Breastfeeding will also benefit both you and your baby.

It's very rare for breastfed babies to have side effects from medicines you're taking. But it's important to keep monitoring your baby if you're taking any medicine while breastfeeding.

Contact your healthcare professional or call 111 as soon as possible if you notice that your baby:

• is not feeding as normal, or not gaining weight as expected
• has changes to their usual sleeping pattern
• is behaving differently, for example being irritable
• is having sudden or jerky movements
• has signs of tummy upset, such as being sick or constipation
• is getting a rash

If your baby has any symptoms that are not listed, or if you're worried about them, you can also call 111 or contact any healthcare professional.

Carry on taking the medicine, and keep breastfeeding as usual until you get advice about your baby's symptoms.

It's important not to share a bed with your baby while you're taking risperidone.

Risperidone and fertility

Risperidone can affect your hormones and sometimes causes sexual problems (in men or women). It can also affect periods.

These effects are not common and happen in less than 1 in 100 people.

If you would like to start a family, then talk to your doctor if you have any of these problems or if you're worried.